James' Distraction

Chapter Four

That night James lay in bed long before the rest of his friends had come back to the common room. For about half an hour he had been thinking about Lily, about her blushing in potions. He couldn't decide how he felt about her. Did he have friendlust for her? Or was it more than that? Remus slid into the dorm silently and could hear the cogs in James' brain turning. "What's up James?" Remus asked, splitting the silence. "Moony!" There was a thump as James' head hit the bed post. "Didn't see you there," he said quietly, almost whispering. Remus sat down on the end of James' bed, and looked at him with a face full of care and love. "James, I've seen how you've been looking at Lily recently. And honestly, I can see why. She's so caring and kind, and incredibly clever. I'll tell you something James, something I've never told anyone before..."

5th Year-Remus is sitting underneath a tree after a difficult full moon. Lily walks up to him, her red hair blowing around her face in the wind. "Hi Lupin, are you okay? You don't look very well."
"Hey Evans, don't worry about me, I've just got a bit of a headache. Came outside for a bit of fresh air."
"Call me Lily," she said cheerfully, and sat down resting on the tree next to him. "Remus- can I call you that?" A quick nod and she carried on talking. "I've noticed something ever since we started having lessons together: every full moon you aren't in lessons. I don't want to be nosy-I'd just like to help, so you don't have to answer if you don't want to. Are you a werewolf?"
Remus looked into her green eyes. They were full of love, they were caring eyes. Lily Evans was kind and trustworthy, he could tell her. "Y-y-y-yes," he spluttered. Suddenly he burst into tears. "I hate it!" He shouted. "Every month I miss lessons and people are suspicious and then I feel so ill and I just hate having it all bottled up!" A tear escaped from Lily's eye too, and she pulled Remus into a gentle hug. He hugged her back, relaxing, and his crying eased. Lily pulled away from him, looking straight into his eyes. "Remus, it's okay. If you ever want to talk about it I'm always here for you." He looked back into her shining green eyes, lost in the emerald and sea green swirls that made up her eyes. Lily slowly pulled closer to him closing her eyes. Her hands found their way to his face, and she pulled him towards her. Remus closed his eyes too and felt her lips on his. He had never kissed anyone before, and put his arms around Lily. Soon Lily pulled away, pushing Remus' hair out of his eye and wiping away one of tears. "I'm here for you Remus," she whispered, before standing up and walking back inside the castle.

Remus finished talking, and sat at the end of the bed, a single tear falling down his cheek. James got up, walked over to him and hugged him. "Lily was your first kiss?"
"Yes, she was. But James, I don't love her. She treats me like a brother, and she's such a great person. Go for her James, go get her."
"I will," James said.

As James fell asleep, his thoughts lingered on Lily. He was going to go for her.